MB City Rejects Dynegy Wave Energy Project

In a letter drafted by Morro Bay City Council member Christine Johnson, the Council has unanimously opposed a proposal by Dynegy, the owner of the defunct power plant here, to build two big wave energy fields in the ocean, one right in front of Morro Rock and the entrance to Morro Bay Estuary and harbor.

The Council said in the letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that is was "opposing Dynegy's Preliminary Permit applications" to FERC for its proposed Point Estero and Estero Bay Wave Parks (which some Council members thought should be called fields, instead of parks).

The letter, with some friendly editing by fellow Council members, said "as currently proposed, both Dynegy Wave Park locations present significant cause for concern in three key areas: access to fisheries, safe navigation and impact on marine mammals and other marine species." The permit is to allow research on construction of the wave energy facilities, which would use the force of mostly sub-surface waves to generate electricity.

To date there are only a handful of experimental wave generator plants in operation around the world, the website Wave Power says.

The electricity reportedly would be transported by underwater power lines to the PG&E switchyard located adjacent to the Power Plant property, where lines to the power grid in the San Joaquin Valley are located. The grid carries power up and down the state to serve areas needing power. The switchyard transported electricity from the power plant to the grid for many years.

Whether power lines transporting the wave power energy across the power plant property would be allowed remains to be seen. The California Coastal Commission has jurisdiction over such use, now that the power plant is closed, and so may the city have some jurisdiction under its Local Coastal Plan (LCP), with the closure of the plant. The property is zoned industrial but could be rezoned under the LCP revision and prohibit any industrial use, such as allowing power lines across it.

The Surfrider Foundation and the National Marine Fisheries Service reportedly also have submitted letters to FERC, lodging environmental concerns about the wave energy plans.

First, the Council letter said, "commercial and recreational fisheries have played significant roles in the development of Morro Bay and continue to remain vital economic and social contributors to our community. California West Coast fisheries are some of the most highly regulated fisheries in the world. Both proposed (wave energy) locations would significantly disrupt commercial and recreational fishing."

Second, "both wave park locations pose significant navigational hazards. Morro Bay is a designated Harbor of Safe Refuge and is the only safe harbor between Monterey and Santa Barbara; thus, a safe entrance and exit to our harbor are critical. Both wave park locations pose significant safety issues for the boating public, both commercial and recreational, and the City is opposed due to navigational hazards."

Third, "Morro Bay's ocean environment is the natural habitat for a wide variety of marine mammals including whales, harbor seals, sea lions and dolphins, some of which are currently listed under the Endangered Species Act. As proposed, the projects have the potential for significant negative impact to marine mammals and may increase the risk for collision or entanglement with the wave energy converters (WECs), mooring systems and transmission lines."

The Council letter also said "the introduction of man-made noise into the environment may cause disruption in marine mammal communication, migration and navigation. These disruptions must be mitigated to the maximum extent possible at any proposed wave park location."

Dynegy also was cited for not holding "any public information forums detailing the project, which inhibits stakeholder awareness and participation in the process.

"We anticipate you taking the comments of the City of Morro Bay into consideration with regard to Dynegy's Preliminary Permit applications for their proposed Point Estero and Estero Bay Wave Parks. We reserve the right to make additional comments if this project proceeds further."

The letter noted that the City of Morro Bay "is pleased to see alternative energy sources explored and utilized in our area" as long as the Council's "significant cause for concern" is rectified.